Trapeze Michelle Jarman reveals secrets to staying young

A 47-year-old woman who became Australia’s oldest female trapeze artist
Michelle Jarman ran away with the circus to join her boyfriend at the age of 17
The mother-of-two lifts the lid on her extraordinary life as a circus performer

By Cindy Tran for Daily Mail Australia

Published: 03:44 BST, 14 September 2017 | Updated: 07:37 BST, 14 September 2017

A 47-year-old woman who became Australia’s oldest female trapeze artist has shared her secrets to staying young.

Michelle Jarman, from Adelaide, found herself in the spotlight after running away with the circus to join her now-husband Joseph Ashton at the age of 17.

And 30 years on, the energised mother-of-two appears to be in her best shape of her life as she lifts the lid on her extraordinary life as a circus performer.

Australia's oldest female trapeze artist Michelle Jarman shares her secrets to staying young

Australia’s oldest female trapeze artist Michelle Jarman shares her secrets to staying young

Speaking to Today Tonight, the South Australian trapeze performer opened up about the routine she follows to look her best.

‘The longer you can work to keep active, the better you’ll be in you’re older age,’ she said.

‘One of the things I try to do is get about eight hours sleep at night. Since I hit just over 40, I decided that I needed to cut down on my food portions.’

Ms Jarman – who has been performing the flying trapeze for 20 years – laughed as she said she ‘heard a rumour’ she might be the oldest female trapeze artist.

Getting into the swing of things, Ms Jarman said she has no plans to retire from the ropes anytime soon.

The mother-of-two appears to be in her best shape of her life as she lifts the lid on her extraordinary life as a circus performer

The mother-of-two appears to be in her best shape of her life as she lifts the lid on her extraordinary life as a circus performer

The Australian trapeze performer opened up about the routine she follows to look her best

The Australian trapeze performer opened up about the routine she follows to look her best

‘I see people, they think “oh yeah, I’ve got to a certain age, I need to retire”. And I’m thinking “hell no”,’ she said.

And performing in heart-stopping acrobatics in front of the audience runs in the family for Ms Jarman, whose two sons Jordan and Merrik Ashton have also joined her on stage.

‘There’s not many people out there who can say that they work with their husband and their sons,’ she said.